The invention relates to an industrial dishwashing machine with at least one essentially closed water circuit in which washing water is circulated.
Industrial dishwashing machines of this type usually perform about 30 to 200 work cycles a day, a work cycle lasting about 1 to 2 minutes. In contrast to this, a domestic dishwashing machine is in use only about one to 3 times a day, the washing duration being about one hour here. In known industrial dishwashing machines, a work cycle comprises, as a rule, a washing stage, a rinsing stage, and what is known as a drying operation. On opening of the industrial dishwashing machine after the drying operation, in order to remove the batch, results in the steam formed in the washing compartment during the drying operation escaping into the surroundings. One disadvantage of this is that a hot humid climate occurs in the workspace in which the dishwashing machine is standing and becomes more extreme with each work cycle of the dishwashing machine. Furthermore, whenever the dishwashing machine is opened after the drying operation, a large quantity of energy is released, which is not available for further work cycles.
GB 2 030 446 A discloses a continuously operating dishwashing machine, in which a batch is delivered on one side and is transported through the entire dishwashing machine via a conveyer belt, so that it is discharged on the other side after the rinsing operation. This publication discloses, furthermore, a suction extraction device for the suction extraction of hot humid air, this air being cooled and dehumidified in a heat exchanger device, whereupon it is discharged as spent air into the surroundings.
An object of the present invention is to make available an industrial dishwashing machine, in which the formation of a hot humid climate in the surroundings is avoided as efficiently as possible, but at the same time an effective drying operation becomes possible. An object of the present invention is, furthermore, to make available a corresponding method.